Japan premier tries traditional Vietnamese drumming at state banquet in Hanoi

The state banquet was held for PM Takaichi as part of her official visit to Vietnam that is scheduled to conclude on Sunday.

During the event, the two leaders watched Vietnamese artists playing traditional Vietnamese drums before she joined in, enthusiastically attempting the instrument herself.

The Vietnamese government leader later presented his Japanese counterpart with a traditional Vietnamese souvenir.

Speaking at the banquet, he reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to strengthening ties with Japan across a wide spectrum of areas, including politics, economics, and people-to-people exchanges, within the framework of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

He welcomed PM Takaichi’s visit as a meaningful step toward further consolidating cooperation.

For her part, PM Takaichi expressed confidence that under Vietnam’s current leadership, bilateral relations would continue to flourish.

She also highlighted the long historical connection between the two countries, noting that religious exchanges dating back to the eighth century helped lay the foundation for today’s close relationship.

Japanese PM Takaichi arrived in Hanoi on Friday evening for a three-day official visit at the invitation of the Vietnamese prime minister, marking her first trip to the Southeast Asian country since taking office last October.

Vietnam is the first stop in her broader tour that also includes Australia.

She is accompanied by a high-level delegation from Japan’s Cabinet Office and key ministries including foreign affairs, economy, trade and industry, agriculture, defense, transport, and internal affairs and communications.

After an official welcome ceremony, she held talks with PM Hung, and they then witnessed the exchange of cooperation agreements.

She also met with Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man on Saturday.

She delivered a policy speech at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, where she shared her enthusiasm about returning to Vietnam and expressed a desire to visit Hoi An in the future, a site emblematic of centuries-old trade and cultural exchange between the two nations.